Mounting Problems post-lameness

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jilly2024

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Hello đź‘‹

My gorgeous big man has been signed off for me to get back on and start building up under saddle. Problem is, he had used not letting me on as a way to tell me he was sore so there is a level of learned behaviour, and some worry that the mounting block = pain, even when the physio stood on a stool to reach the top of him he would react quite badly. He hasnt been sat on really since November.

Even more annoyingly, while he sometimes stepped back/away, he usually actually swings towards the block to get too close or try and knock me off so lining up to a fence etc doesnt work.

Treats send him boogaloo, and he loses all focus so scratches and praise are really all I have to work with.

So far, ive been standing on the block while we are grooming and he is munching his net, and rubbing all ovet him, ive also had the saddle on and stood on the block and wiggled it around and reached over him, run the stirrups up/down etc, some worry, some tension particularly if i lifted one of my feet like i was about to get on and his tail would swish and ears came back, but reasonably good so far. But pretty worried that when he is fully tacked up and he knows Im actually going to get on, the messing about will start.

Any hints or tips or any help on how to reintroduce mounting in a calm, stress free way?
 
Lucky Snowball said:
Sounds like you’re doing the right things. How about a different mounting block or repositioning it.
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Yes actually will probs try a different block, good shout.

We have been practicing just outside his stable in the barn instead of out in the yard where we usually get on, so potentially thats making a difference too so might avoid the yard for the forseeable!

Thanks x
 
I taught my lesson horse to stand at the block unheld. I stood her by the block, and stood on the block myself. If she moved. I got off the block and walked her round in a circle, and back to stand by the block again. No crossness. But walking round involved work for the horse, which they prefer to avoid. Just repeat ad infinitum.
Teaching her to stand still to be mounted came in useful one day when I had to dismount when out hacking due to two police cars circling the bridle track. I remounted by clambering up a pile of timber. It wasnt perfect, as she moved as soon as I was in the saddle, but it was good enough. And i was really glad I taught her.

It depends on the horse and what other people do. I would not mount my present share without someone to hold her. She is on a large yard with only one mounting block and the horses know to move away from the block promptly to allow the next rider to use the block to mount their horse. I am too old now to do anything quickly.
 
Skib said:
I taught my lesson horse to stand at the block unheld. I stood her by the block, and stood on the block myself. If she moved. I got off the block and walked her round in a circle, and back to stand by the block again. No crossness. But walking round involved work for the horse, which they prefer to avoid. Just repeat ad infinitum.
Teaching her to stand still to be mounted came in useful one day when I had to dismount when out hacking due to two police cars circling the bridle track. I remounted by clambering up a pile of timber. It wasnt perfect, as she moved as soon as I was in the saddle, but it was good enough. And i was really glad I taught her.

It depends on the horse and what other people do. I would not mount my present share without someone to hold her. She is on a large yard with only one mounting block and the horses know to move away from the block promptly to allow the next rider to use the block to mount their horse. I am too old now to do anything quickly.
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When you say you walked her round in a circle, do you mean you handwalked her in a circle or moved her in a circle around you while still on the block? Open to all suggestions, just want to make sure im doing the right thing! X
 
jilly2024 said:
When you say you walked her round in a circle, do you mean you handwalked her in a circle
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Yes. I hand walked her leading her.

I didnt necessarily hand walk "in a circle". My RI was often teaching in the other end of the school, or someone was riding there. I just walked my lesson horse about in the space available.

To fill you in a little. I started proper riding lessons when I was 61 years old and depended a lot on support from the New Rider forum. Thanks to people there I read the books by Mark Rashid and went to his demo near Bristol in January 2005. I took careful notes and what I saw transformed my riding and communication with the horses I rode.

He helped a rider who had trouble mounting and I copied what he showed her.

Rashid's theory in those early days was very simple - that horses want to minimise energy output. So walking the horse if she didnt stand at the block was imposing work and thus punishing her.

Years later Mark Rashid (influenced by the martial arts he was now studying) showed a completely different way of mounting, getting the horse to stand at the block, and circling it round the block, without the rider getting down from the block.

I did not change from the old way. It worked for me.

I have described this for you, but the thing to remember is that having the attention of the horse and communcating with the horse are very personal things. There isnt a right thing or a wrong thing.
 
If you say treats send him boogaloo, can you use something lower value? Use treats elsewhere as well so they aren't so exciting? You can even just use grass chaff or hay.

I personally wouldn't use circling round the block if he already has a negative association with mounting. Making the mounting block a nice place to be is better, to me, than wearing him down until he gives in, especially if you know he has a genuine pain association.
 
I used to do the circling etc as above, but I actually then found that although they soon give up and stand still, it wasn’t making mounting an experience they looked forward to. I now use treats for one of mine that has also had physical issues ( now managed) and he marches to the block on his own and waits for his treat.
If they go too mental for treats, use lower value ones like someone else said. Balancer or chaff in pocket. Not those bullets of minty/herby horse crack they would literally kill you for.
 
smolmaus said:
If you say treats send him boogaloo, can you use something lower value? Use treats elsewhere as well so they aren't so exciting? You can even just use grass chaff or hay.

I personally wouldn't use circling round the block if he already has a negative association with mounting. Making the mounting block a nice place to be is better, to me, than wearing him down until he gives in, especially if you know he has a genuine pain association.
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Basically what are said !!
 
I have done the circling around the block technique- so if they go to move away, quietly keep them moving for a circle around the block and then stand. If they want to keep moving , go twice or three times around (or more). It's important to wait a few seconds to let them stand at the block after the circling before you mount, to allow them to process what just happened. Don't be in a rush or up the tempo. Then once I'm on, I give a treat. Eventually they will amble to the block and wait for treat. I've had some that grasp this in one session, and some that take a while, but it has always worked for me, with many different horses/ponies.
 
I dont give treats of any kind to any horse. That is partly due to my Mark Rashid training, but owes much to the fact that early in my second year of riding, I was bitten by the lesson horse when feeding him a treat over the stable door.
No bones were broken but he broke the skin so I had to go to Minor Injuries clinic for a tetanus jab and a dressing. It isnt painful but the thumb doesnt straighten properly and the joint remains visibly swollen to this day.
 
Skib said:
Yes. I hand walked her leading her.

I didnt necessarily hand walk "in a circle". My RI was often teaching in the other end of the school, or someone was riding there. I just walked my lesson horse about in the space available.

To fill you in a little. I started proper riding lessons when I was 61 years old and depended a lot on support from the New Rider forum. Thanks to people there I read the books by Mark Rashid and went to his demo near Bristol in January 2005. I took careful notes and what I saw transformed my riding and communication with the horses I rode.

He helped a rider who had trouble mounting and I copied what he showed her.

Rashid's theory in those early days was very simple - that horses want to minimise energy output. So walking the horse if she didnt stand at the block was imposing work and thus punishing her.

Years later Mark Rashid (influenced by the martial arts he was now studying) showed a completely different way of mounting, getting the horse to stand at the block, and circling it round the block, without the rider getting down from the block.

I did not change from the old way. It worked for me.

I have described this for you, but the thing to remember is that having the attention of the horse and communcating with the horse are very personal things. There isnt a right thing or a wrong thing.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the detailed reply!
Will see if I can find some Mark Rashid on Youtube, was watching Kelly Marks "how to" re: mounting block issues as well, so will be good to have loads of info!
 

Mounting issues

Hi all, I’ve had a large horse for a year now (16.3hh) and obviously use a mounting block to get on him. He is great to stand if someone holds him, but if I try get on unaided, he is a real fidgit. I have been trying to do some work on this with parking him at the block and leaning over him...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk

This is a thread from this week which might help, too.
 
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